1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates an article (an irradiated object) with an electron beam in a disinfection or similar process, and specifically to an electron beam irradiation apparatus that is able to reduce the amount of X-rays generated by electron beam irradiation.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electron beam generator carries out a disinfection process by emitting an electron beam through a window toward an article being transported by a conveyor system. It is generally known that X-rays are generated when electrons emitted from an electron beam irradiation apparatus collide with metallic members inside a disinfection room where the conveyor system is installed. An invention that reduces the above-discussed generation of X-rays (e.g., Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication H03-015421) and an invention that shields the X-rays from leakage (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication 2010-008387) have already been provided.
The invention described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication H03-015421 disposes a beam catcher in a position facing the electron beam irradiation apparatus, which emits electron beams. A surface of the beam catcher on the electron radiation side is covered with aluminum and configured as an aluminum plate shielded with a PE (polyethylene) cover.
Further, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication 2010-008387, the entire irradiation room is configured to shield X-rays and an X-ray shield structure is further provided to surround an irradiating space inside the irradiation room and the beam catcher.